The Family Legacy
by ToHandCraftedBeers
Summary: Knuckles is woken one night by a strange echidna who sends him on a new quest. The fate of the world depends upon Knuckles, but what happens when he finds out that his enemy is someone he thought he could trust?
1. Sparx

  
Chapter 1 Sparx  
  
Author's Note: I was going to wait a while to put this up, but oh well. If you didn't read A Loss and A gain or More Than Meets The Eye, then I suggest you do. If you don't want to, then you need to know the following things.  
  
1) Knuckles is married to Rouge and the have two four-year-old kids, Rocky (boy) and Kninal (girl)  
  
2) Knuckles father was killed in a car crash when Knuckles was 19. He named his son after his father. (His father's name is James Rocky; his son's name is Rocky James)  
  
3) Frankie is a hedgehog who lives in Knuckles's house. His parents were killed in a fire.  
  
4) Knuckles isn't guardian of the Master Emerald anymore. His older brother, Spike, is.  
  
Ok, I think that's it. If there's anything you don't understand, tell me and I'll explain it.  
  
Disclaimer: I own Jamie, Sparx, Frankie Rocky, and Kninal.  
  
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Knuckles slept peacefully one Saturday night, enjoying that he had the whole bed to himself. One of the kids had had a bad dream, and it was Rouge's turn to sleep in their room.  
  
But suddenly, his peace was disturbed. His peaceful dream about lying on Angel Island with the sun shining down turned into a horrible nightmare about the day his father died.  
  
He tossed and turned in his sleep, trying to erase the dream. Why was he remembering this now?  
  
"Knuckles, Knuckles!" he heard a distant voice saying as he slowly awoke.  
  
"Knuckles! Wake up!" the voice pressed on.  
  
Knuckles awoke, half surprised that he was in his room and not the hospital.  
  
"Knuckles, please!"  
  
"Frankie?" Knuckles asked rubbing sleep from his eyes. He knew it wasn't Rouge. The voice wasn't feminine.  
  
"No, Knuckles."  
  
Knuckles lifted his head from the pillow to see who was calling his name. There, in his bedroom, stood an echidna who he had never seen before. He was black and had bright yellow stripes, and a yellow star on his chest. He had a silver aura glowing around him. His arms were crossed, and he was staring at Knuckles.  
  
"Who the hell are you? And how do you know my name?" Knuckles asked accusingly. Usually, Knuckles would attack a guy like this, but he was still half-asleep.  
  
"My name is Sparx," the echidna replied simply.  
  
"Well that explains a lot," Knuckles said sarcastically, "I still don't have a clue who you are!"  
  
"Let me explain further. I am the echidna who killed your father."  
  
The words stung in Knuckles mind. This echidna killed his father? But how? "That's impossible," he replied, "My father died in a car crash."  
  
Sparx nodded, "I was the one in the car that went through the red light. I had it all planned out, pretty genius don't you think?"  
  
Knuckles was fuming. How could this guy stand here and talk like this? How could he admit that he had murdered someone and have no shame? "Why you," Knuckles muttered, getting up from his bed, "You murderer!" he shouted.  
  
He threw a punch at Sparx, but was knocked back by a strange force and thrown into a wall. "Ow," he muttered, getting up and rubbing his head. He was confused. That echidna hadn't even moved a finger! "How, did you do that?" he asked.  
  
Sparx chuckled a bit. Now Knuckles was really confused. How could he admit to a murder, then laugh about it?  
  
"You didn't think a normal person could kill James, did you?" Sparx replied.  
  
Knuckles didn't get it. "Huh?"  
  
Sparx gave him an odd look. "You know, James," he said, "Your father, the demon?"  
  
"What do you mean when you say, demon?"  
  
Sparx sighed, "You haven't got a clue what I'm talking about, do you?"  
  
Knuckles rolled his eyes, "Ding, ding, ding, we have a winner!"  
  
Sparx glared at Knuckles. "This is no time for sarcasm, Knuckles. This is a serious matter, and now it's going to take even longer because I have to explain everything!"  
  
"Explain what?"  
  
"Everything! Your family legacy, your father being a demon, your mission-"  
  
Knuckles cut him off. "Hold up buddy. What family legacy, what mission, and why do you keep calling my father a demon?!"  
  
Sparx sighed. "I guess I'll start with explaining the family legacy..." he muttered. "You see, your family had a mission they believed was necessary to fulfill. Their mission was to eliminate the weak. They believed that if the weak remained in the world, they would breed and have weak young, and soon the entire population would be weak and die out. So, if they eliminated the weak, only the strong would be left, and they would have strong young. Their mission was to kill the weak."  
  
Knuckles was speechless for a second. "My father was a murderer?"  
  
Sparx nodded. "he killed about twenty people a year. Some of which you may know."  
  
"Like who?"  
  
"You're mother for instance."  
  
Knuckles was stunned. "No, you're lying, My mother walked out on my father!"  
  
Sparx shook his head. "That's what he led you to believe. He never did talk about her much did he?"  
  
Knuckles was silent. He wasn't even about to ask how this guy knew so much about his father.  
  
"He also killed your pal Frankie's parents."  
  
Knuckles shook his head, "They died in a fire!"  
  
"Who do you think set it aflame?"  
  
Knuckles was to sickened to talk about more people that his father killed. He wasn't even sure if Sparx was telling the truth. "So, what's this about him being a demon?"  
  
"Well, he was."  
  
"Well, does that make me a demon too?" Knuckles asked, "A demon's son?"  
  
"Sparx shook his head. "You're father wasn't born a demon," he explained, "Passed down through the family was a medallion, called, 'The Demon's Metal.' Whenever someone was designated to continue the legacy, they were given the medallion. When they put it on around their neck, they would be granted supernatural powers."  
  
"What kind of powers?"  
  
"Oh, you know, powers of teleportation, fire, electricity, you name it."  
  
Knuckles shook his head. Part of him didn't believe Sparx, and part of him was fuming mad at his father. "I don't believe you. Why should I believe you when I know you for ten minute, and I know my father for 19 years?"  
  
Sparx shrugged, "Very well then. You could believe me and follow your destiny by joining me on this quest. Or you could believe you father and watch your world crash down on you. The choice is yours."  
  
Knuckles really wanted Sparx to be lying, but something in the back of his head told him he wasn't. "All right, I'll go, but we have to make one stop first."  
  
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Knuckles stood in front of his father's tombstone, angry.  
  
"Hey, Dad, you happy down there with all your secrets?" Knuckles asked, "I wonder how many of the people in this cemetery were killed by you? Well you know something, Dad? I hate you! I'm glad your dead! How could you keep something like this from me?"  
  
Knuckles picked up a handful of rocks and looked at the tombstone. It read the following.  
  
He was a good friend,  
  
a good father,  
  
and a good person all together.  
  
He won't easily be forgotten.  
  
James Rocky Echidna.  
  
Knuckles gritted his teeth. "He was a bad friend," he muttered, throwing one rock, "a bad father," throwing another rock, "and a bad person all together," throwing a third rock. Knuckles was silent for a second. :I wish I could forget him," he whispered, throwing a fourth rock. "Take that James Rocky Echidna! I grieved for you, I named my son after you, and now I find out you were a murderer? I wish I would have known that before you died! It would have saved me a lot of grieving!" With that, he threw the final rock.  
  
Sparx walked up behind him and sighed. "Are you quite finished Knuckles? We have better things to do than to yell at your father's grave!"  
  
Knuckles sighed, and spat on his the grave, kicking dirt on it. "Yeah, I'm finished."  
  
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Well, there's chapter one. Don't expect an update any time in the next week, because I'm going on vacation! So this won't be updated until next Saturday or Sunday. Sorry! Please review though, because reviewers get cupcakes! Bu bye now.  



	2. Questions

Chapter 2: Questions  
  
Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews, and sorry for the long update wait but I was on vacation.  
  
To The Great Critic II: You were the first person to catch that, congratulations! I do know of Knuckles father, but I unfortunately know nothing about him. Because of this, I used a fan character so I wouldn't make Locke OOC. Sorry if that confused anyone else.  
  
Disclaimer: SEGA owns their people, I own mine.  
  
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Knuckles and Sparx walked away from the cemetery, towards an area of Angel Island that Knuckles wasn't familiar with. Sparx whistled casually as if nothing out of the ordinary was happening.  
  
"So, Sparx, if you were the guy in the car, then how come you weren't hurt or killed?" Knuckles asked, still not completely trusting of Sparx.  
  
Sparx stopped whistling and sighed. "I was going to wait a while to tell you this, but since you asked, I will."  
  
Knuckles nodded, signaling Sparx to continue.  
  
"I'm not like most people Knuckles. I'm not sure if you could even call me a person, or an echidna for that matter."  
  
"What do you mean?" Knuckles asked, confused.  
  
"Do you like long stories?" Sparx asked.  
  
"Sometimes."  
  
"Well, this one's not very short.  
  
"You see Knuckles, before you're father started with this legacy, we were best friends."  
  
Knuckles was shocked. "You killed you're best friend?"  
  
"He killed me first!" Sparx shot back defensively  
  
Knuckles gave him a funny look. "What?"  
  
Sparx sighed. "We were having a fight. I told him that I didn't support his mission, and that he should go against it.  
  
"Then he said to me, 'Sparx you have two choices. Support my mission, or die trying to stop it.'"  
  
"And you chose option number two?" Knuckles asked, only half believing the story.  
  
Sparx nodded. "We got into this huge fistfight over it, it was awful. I ended up grabbing the demon's medallion from his neck and tossing it away. I don't know why, it was kind of a pointless thing to do.  
  
"It did get your father pretty mad though. He grabbed the medallion before I could make another move. When he turned back around, I went to punch him, but it didn't work out so well. He punched me right here," Sparx said, pointing to the star on his chest; "He hit me with the hand holding the medallion."  
  
Knuckles nodded. This story was getting interesting. Somehow, he could imagine his father doing this.  
  
"The power from the medallion rain through me when he hit me. It was too much for me to take. The force made everything in my body shut down, even my breathing. Jamie assumed me dead, and left me to rot.  
  
"But a few months later, things changed. Given the proper time, the medallion worked its magic, a brought life back to me. I was given all the powers, so I guess I'm considered a demon."  
  
"Okay, so that explains the aura, and how you attacked me without touching me..."  
  
Sparx nodded, "I'm sort of like a ghost."  
  
The two kept walking. Knuckles wasn't sure of where they were going, but Sparx seemed to know the way.  
  
"So, what's this mission thing about?"  
  
"Please, Knuckles, one story at a time."  
  
"Fine. Where are we going anyway?"  
  
Sparx sighed; "You're just full of questions aren't you?"  
  
Knuckles smirked, "This is the last one, I promise."  
  
"We're going to my place; it's right over this hill. We're going to need a lot of strength for tomorrow."  
  
"What's going on tomorrow?"  
  
Sparx smiled. "I'd tell you, but you're out of questions." With that, he started to run up ahead, leaving Knuckles to follow.  
  
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Sparx's "house" was not very classy. Then again, a ghost doesn't need anything very fancy. In fact, Knuckles couldn't figure out why a ghost would need a house at all. He would've asked, but he had already had his share of questions.  
  
The place was a cave. It was cold and damp. Knuckles figured that Sparx probably couldn't feel the cold, so it didn't bother him. Sparx probably couldn't smell either, considering the odor was worse than Knuckles's shoes.  
  
They walls were a cold gray color, and the dirt floor looked black. There was a blanket in the middle of the floor, which Sparx considered a bed.  
  
"You can use it," he had told Knuckles, "I don't need anything to sleep on, I just like to pretend I'm still alive sometimes."  
  
So Knuckles lied down on the "bed", but sleep did not come easily. Unanswered questions that he couldn't ask ran through his mind like a rat in amaze.  
  
What was this mission that Sparx had told him about? Why all of a sudden did this whole legacy matter when he hadn't known about it for over twenty years? What was it about this demon's medallion? Why would Jamie keep something like this from him? Could he even trust Sparx at all?  
  
He rolled over and shut his eyes. He missed Rouge, the kids, and Frankie, and wondered if he would ever see them again. Who could tell? His life was getting pretty strange.  
  
He wished it was all a dream, he wished that he could just go home and lie in his own safe bed, in his own safe house where nothing ever went wrong, where things were always safe and normal.  
  
Hey, it was about time Knuckles had to face reality.  
  
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Okay, there's chapter two. Sorry that it's really short, but the next chapter will be longer, I p  



	3. The Mission

Chapter 3 The Mission  
  
Author's Note: Sorry about the long update wait, but I'm lazy.... Oh well, next chapter!  
  
Disclaimer: Sparx is mine! All mine! You can't have him! Unless you have my permission.  
  
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At first when Knuckles awoke he was unsure of where he was. After shaking sleep from his clouded mind, it all came back to him. The pain in his neck from sleeping on the hard ground refreshed his memory as well.  
  
He looked around, massaging the back of his neck, seeing no sign of his ghostly companion. "Sparx?" he asked.  
  
"Yes?" Sparx replied, startling Knuckles by materializing in front of him.  
  
Knuckles smirked. "It's morning, and I have questions to ask."  
  
Sparx let out a heavy, annoyed sigh. "Knuckles my foolish friend, there is no time for question asking. We have to walk and talk, that way I can explain everything."  
  
"Where are we going? And what is it that still needs to be explained?" Knuckles asked.  
  
"Questions, Knuckles, we have no time for them. Now come on, we have a lot of walking to do, and there's no time for stops." Sparx told him, proceeding to exit the cave.  
  
"What about food? I need to eat, you know." Knuckles reminded him.  
  
Sparx rolled his eyes, "You living people and your food. You're so attached to it..." he muttered.  
  
"C'mon," Knuckles told him, "I know this island inside and out, there's a place we can go and get some quick food."  
  
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"So," Knuckles asked, his mouth filled with grapes, "where are we going?"  
  
"You'll find out when we get there," Sparx replied dryly.  
  
Knuckles stared at the ground. Sparx could be so secretive, yet so outgoing as well. He didn't know what to make of Sparx. Was he friend or foe?  
  
"Well, since you're so curios about everything, I guess you'd like to know why we're on this quest."  
  
That was true. Not only did Knuckles not know where he was going; he also didn't know why he was going there. "Sure, I guess I could listen to a story."  
  
Sparx nodded. "Let me start by saying this," Sparx said, "everyone, even the greatest of us, makes mistakes."  
  
Knuckles smiled. "Did Sparxy make an oopsy?" Knuckles asked in a mocking, baby-like tone.  
  
"Sort of. That's kind why we're on this journey."  
  
"Oh how priceless. The immortal Sparx screwed up and now he came to Knuckles to clean up his mess," Knuckles teased.  
  
"One more comment and you'll have no more for food, echidna!" Sparx snapped.  
  
Knuckles put his hands up defense, "Touchy, touchy."  
  
Sparx decided to let that one go. "Anyway, I did make a mistake. The only reason I came to you, Knuckles, is because you're the only one who can help."  
  
"Really?" Knuckles asked sarcastically, "I feel special."  
  
Knuckles was on Sparx's last nerve right now, but he had more important things to do than fight with the echidna. "You see, the only thing that allows your father's spirit to return to earth is the power from the demon's medallion. If the medallion were to be smashed, then your fathers ability to return to earth would die with it."  
  
Knuckles was a little confused, "Why would my dad want to return to earth at all?"  
  
"To get you to continue the legacy," he explained.  
  
"Why doesn't he get Spike to do that? Why me?" Knuckles asked.  
  
"Because the youngest child is always the on to continue the legacy.  
  
"Anyway, back on topic. So, I figured that if I was to smash the medallion, I could get rid of Jamie. It didn't exactly work."  
  
"Why, did you do it wrong?" Knuckles asked.  
  
Sparx shook his head. "Not exactly. There's no wrong way to smash a medallion."  
  
"So why didn't it work?"  
  
Sparx sighed. "For goodness sake Knuckles, can I finish a sentence without one of you're childish interruptions?!" He spat at him.  
  
Knuckles shrugged, "Sheesh, sorry."  
  
'Man," Knuckles thought, 'I barely know this guy a day, and we're already about to kill each other. Except for the fact that you can't kill a ghost... I have to work on my people skills.'  
  
"You see, I don't do it the wrong way, I was the wrong person."  
  
"Well, who's the right person?" Knuckles asked, forgetting he wasn't supposed to interrupt.  
  
"In order to destroy all the spirits that are powered by the medallion, it must be smashed by someone who was either in the legacy, or eligible to join the legacy."  
  
"And if it's smashed by someone who isn't?"  
  
'If it is smashed by someone outside the legacy, it simply breaks into several pieces and scatters around the world. Kind of like the Master Emerald."  
  
Knuckles nodded. "So all I have to do is find the pieces, they assemble themselves together, and I smash it again?"  
  
"Kind of," Sparx started, "The pieces don't reassemble them selves, you have to fit them back together."  
  
"Ooh, sounds like fun," Knuckles said sarcastically, "I'm pretty much putting something back together so I can smash it again."  
  
"Yeah, pretty much."  
  
They were silent for a bit, until Knuckles spoke, "What does this medallion look like? I want to know what I'm looking for."  
  
Sparx nodded in agreement, "Well, it's gold, and when it's assembled correctly, it has a pitchfork on it."  
  
Knuckles smiled, "Typical..."  
  
"It also goes onto a chain, which I have right her," Sparx continued, holding up a gold chain, "But that doesn't have to be smashed in order to kill the spirits."  
  
"I'm basically treasure hunting. There's no way my dad can beat me at that. I excel at treasure hunting." Knuckles remarked.  
  
"True, but he does have a companion who might match your skills."  
  
Knuckles chuckled, "Who could possibly compare to me? Other than Rouge who obviously wouldn't work for my father." Knuckles asked, flexing his muscles.  
  
"Chaos."  
  
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Well, there's the next chapter. There's more ahead so read and review! Please? If you do, I'll give you a soda! 


	4. Losing Belief

Chapter 4 Losing Belief  
  
Author's note: I'm sorry for the update wait, but i was bored out of my skull with this story. I going to try finishing this story as quickly as possible, so I can write something else. I guess I'm more of a romance and drama writer, not action/adventure. Oh well, here's the next chapter of this story that is boring to write.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters that SEGA created in this story which has me so freaking bored.  
  
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"Chaos?" Knuckles asked, looking at Sparx like he had two heads, "You're serious? The blob of spit? You've got to be kidding me, I'm SO much of a better hunter!"  
  
Sparx nodded, "I have no doubts of that Knuckles, but I'm sure you don't forget what happens when Chaos consumes a chaos emerald?"  
  
Knuckles shook his head. It was impossible to forget that monster of a creature. "But how do chaos emeralds affect his treasure hunting ability?"  
  
"They don't," Sparx replied, kicking a stone a the dirt trail as they walked along, "But they could help him with attacking you and stealing whatever medallion pieces you happen to come by."  
  
Knuckles chuckled at Sparx while flexing his muscles. "I won't give up without a fight. They don't call me Knuckles for nothin' you know!"  
  
Sparx let out a heavy sigh at what he considered the ego obsessed echidna. "Knuckles, do you think an evil master mind like your father would do something that easy? Do you really think he would make it that simple for you to destroy him? Would he make it that simple for his legacy that he worked so hard on to come to an abrupt halt? Do you?" Sparx shouted at him, exasperated.  
  
Knuckles decided to ignore the angered tone of the echidna's voice, and replied with a sarcastic remark. "Well, I never really considered my father a master mind. He was really always kind of slow. I'd say a joke and it'd take him five minutes to get it-"  
  
"Knuckles!" Sparx interrupted him, more angry than ever before, "Can't you be serious? Can't you see the lives of thousands of people are in danger?"  
  
Knuckles held his hands up in defense, "Alright, alright. So, what were you saying before?"  
  
"Your father has made Chaos untouchable by heating up his body temperature. It is impossible to touch him without getting burned."  
  
"So what do I have to do, ear oven mitts like Betty Crocker?"  
  
Sparx decided not to let the echidna get on his nerves, recognizing the fact that he was not about to cease his smart comments anytime soon. "Not that kind of burn Knuckles. I'm talking about a burn that would destroy your whole hand."  
  
"That's beautiful," Knuckles replied looking at the ground. Suddenly, something shiny caught his eye. "Hey Sparx, I think I found a piece of the medallion!" he exclaimed happily. The sooner he found the medallion pieces, the sooner he got to go home.  
  
"Let me see that!" Sparx demanded, grabbing for Knuckles hand desperately.  
  
"Ah, ah, ah," Knuckles teased, holding the shiny piece of gold out of Sparx's way, "What's the magic word?"  
  
Just as Knuckles said that, the wind started to blow loudly and harshly, and the clouds started to swirl.  
  
"KNUCKLES DON'T!" he heard a distant voice shout.  
  
In front of Knuckles and Sparx, they saw Jamie materialize.  
  
"You!" Sparx shouted, eyeing the ghostly echidna angrily, "Get out of here you murderer! I don't need you messing with things!"  
  
"Murderer?" Jamie asked, clueless, "I'm certain I have no idea what you talking about. The only murderer I see here is you."  
  
Sparx growled softly, "Liar," he whispered to himself.  
  
Jamie turned to his son, who seemed clueless at the moment. "Knuckles, don't listen to him, he's been lying to you. He reversed the story's, I'm not the killer, he is! It is true that I would no longer be able to return to Earth with the medallion smashed, but he only wants to destroy me so I won't get in the way of his legacy. Knuckles, please believe me!"  
  
"Jamie, your so full of it. There's no use in denying it, your son has lost all faith in you, isn't that right Knuckles?"  
  
Knuckles turned and scowled at Sparx. "You jerk. I trusted you! You made me turn against my own father! The only reason you came to me and not Spike is because I'm gullible!"  
  
Knuckles then turned to his father. "Here, Dad," he said, handing him the golden piece.  
  
Jamie smiled, and did something he'd later regret. It was a mistake, but he couldn't contain himself. "You foolish echidna!" he cackled, "You haven't seen the last of me you two!" with that he disappeared into the night sky.  
  
"No!" Knuckles shouted after him, "Damn it! he got the medallion piece! I'm so stupid!"  
  
Sparx walked up to him, "Calm yourself Knuckles, that was a shiny rock, not a piece of the medallion."  
  
"It was?"  
  
Sparx nodded, and continued walking down the trail, as he mumbled the word, "Amateur..."  
  
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Okay, I'm done with that chapter. Anyways... the next chapter will be up either this weekend, or next weekend. Read and review! 


	5. The Destination

Chapter 5 The Destination  
  
Author's Note: Yay! I'm having more fun with this story! I'm actually starting to enjoy it again! Okay, here's the next chapter for all you readers, enjoy!  
  
Disclaimer: Go away. (Just kidding)  
Knuckles and Sparx kept walking on what seemed to be a road too no where. Knuckles shoes were starting to get worn from the non-stop traveling, and his feet hurt like hell.  
  
"Sparx, are we almost there?" Knuckles asked. He was annoyed with this mysterious echidna, and was ready to wring his neck.  
  
Sparx chuckled; "You're like a whiny child going 'Are we there yet?'. And yes Knuckles, we're almost there."  
  
Knuckles was still curious about where this echidna was leading him, but he didn't ask any questions. It was had to get a straight answer out of him. He would most likely be answered with something like, "You'll find out when we get there."  
  
Knuckles mind started to wander as they walked down the dirt path. He wondered what Rouge was doing at home. He wondered if they were worried about him. Did they even know he was gone? Was Frankie still being lazy? Were Rocky and Kninal okay? He wanted so badly to go home, but he knew that was impossible. His thoughts were then interrupted by Sparx's voice.  
  
"Knuckles, this is it."  
  
Knuckles looked around, but he saw nothing, just a large, gray rock. "You make me walk for six hours to see a gray rock? What the hell is wrong with you?!"  
  
"Shut up Knuckles, it's not just a rock. It's a transportation portal," Sparx replied.  
  
Knuckles gave Sparx a funny look. "Transportation portal? Are you insane? There is no such thing as a transportation portal you lunatic! I'm gullible, not stupid! What kind of idiot do you take me for?"  
  
Sparx shrugged, "Hey you're the one talking to a dead guy." Sparx then motioned for him to be silent, as he rubbed the rock carefully.  
  
Knuckles couldn't believe that Sparx was actually rubbing the stupid rock. "Dimwit..." he muttered. Just as those words escaped his lips, a large black hole appeared in the rock. Knuckles eyes widened at the sight. "My God..." he whispered.  
  
Sparx smiled, "Look who's calling who a dimwit." He stepped through the hole, and motioned for Knuckles to do the same.  
  
When Knuckles got to the other side of the rock, he found himself in a world of complete darkness. He turned around, and found that the portal had disappeared. Everything around him was pitch black; not a single light could be seen. Except...  
  
As Knuckles turned around, he spotted Sparx's glowing silver aura, but could not see Sparx. The silver glow was very faint, and did not provide for much light..  
  
"Good, Knuckles, you made it through safely." Sparx commented.  
  
"How can you see anything? It's pitch black for God's sake!" Knuckles screamed at his companion.  
  
"Knuckles, I'm a ghost. Extreme light or extreme darkness does not impair my vision."  
  
"Damn," Knuckles muttered, "Do you have any weakness?"  
  
Sparx was silent after that question.  
  
"Do you?"  
  
"Now's no time for questions!" Sparx snapped, "We need to get moving!"  
  
Knuckles saw Sparx's silver aura start to glow gold. Soon, it formed a huge golden ball, which hung above their heads in the sky, illuminating the area. Sparx's aura retuned to its original silver.  
  
"Whatever you do," Sparx warned, "don't touch that ball of light."  
  
"Why?" Knuckles questioned, "Will I get stung?"  
  
Sparx shook his head. "No, it will cause it to immediately dematerialize. I won't be able to make another one, for making the first took a lot of energy."  
  
Knuckles nodded as he scanned the area. Frightening trees hung over the dirt road they were walking on. There was no sign of any life other than themselves, making the place even more eerie. Wind blew past, its sound like the moaning of a dieing person.  
  
They walked for a little bit until they came to a lonesome wooden shack. It was very beat up, but it fit in perfectly with the atmosphere. There were no windows, so it was impossible to see inside. The tin roof looked as though it might fall off, and the walls were terribly scratched up. On the door was the sign that said, "Go away if you don't have a damn good reason to be here."  
  
"This is our stop," Sparx informed Knuckles.  
  
"Here?" Knuckles asked, "Why at this crummy shack?!"  
  
Sparx didn't answer Knuckles, but instead walked up to the door of the shack.  
  
Loud footsteps were heard, along with an annoyed growl as the door opened slowly...  
  
Ooh! What's behind the door? What is it? The next chapter will be up this weekend or next, so read and review! Sorry for shortness in thischapter.  



	6. Behind The Door

Chapter 6 Behind The Door

Author's Note: Sorry for the long update wait, but I was lazy. Umm.... on with the next chapter! Oh, and by the way, from now on, the words Demon's Medallion will be capitalized. And just so everyone knows, Knuckles's dad looks just like Knuckles, except for the fact that his eyes are maroon and he wears a brown, hooded cloak, and his fur is sort of grayish. One last thing, when Knuckles is thinking, _it's written like this_.

I'm going to stop putting author's notes at the end of chapters, only at the beginning, just so you know. I don't know when the next chapter will be up, so be patient.

Disclaimer: The only person I don't own in this next chapter is Knuckles. Everyone else is mine! All mine!

The figure behind the door was not a pleasant one. He was a dog, a brownish tan color with ears erect, almost like a dingo. His one eye was a gray-blue color; the other covered by a black eye patch. His brown pants had many holes in them, and his shirt was red with a skull and crossbones on it. His double-pierced ear reminded Knuckles of Frankie, making him more home sick. But what really caught Knuckles's eye was a golden medallion around the dog's neck, with a wing on it and it was giving off a soft glow. Could it have anything to do with the Demon's Medallion?

The dog's Snarl soon turned to a smile at seeing Sparx. But even more surprising than the dog's sudden mood change was the fact that he reached out and shook Sparx's hand, while exclaiming, "Great to see ya again pal!" How could he touch Sparx's hand? Was he a ghost too? And why had Sparx made him come so far to see this dog with an attitude problem? The questions raced through his mind as the dog turned to look at him, his smile fading quickly.

"You!" he snarled, showing his rows off shiny white teeth. Apparently, his teeth were the only things he took good care of. 'What makes you think you can just show up on my doorstep!" The dog then looked at Sparx again, giving him an angry glare. "And you!' he shouted at Sparx, "What makes you think that you can just bring him here, and everything's gonna be fine and dandy between us again! Nothing will ever be fine and dandy between us again!" Once again he turned to Knuckles, "You hear that Jamie? Nothing!"

"Wait a second," Knuckles cut in, looking the exasperated dog in the eye. Now it made sense, this guy thought he was his father, which was very understandable since they were identical, except for eye color and the fact that Knuckles didn't wear a cloak. "I am not Jamie, I'm his son, Knuckles!"

"Oh yeah?" the dog snarled, "That's quite convenient that you and your father look exactly the same!"

Now Sparx stepped in, sticking up for Knuckles. "The boy speaks the truth!" He insisted, "Jamie is his father!"

Knuckles cringed at what Sparx had called him. A boy? He was no boy! A married echidna with two children could hardly be considered a boy. He would've liked to say something, but he decided against it.

"What do you take me for?" the dog demanded, "A pure idiot?"

_Actually, _Knuckles thought_, I did take you for that at first._

"Listen," Sparx tried, in a calmer voice, "How about we just go inside and talk this over. I can assure you that he is Jamie's son, and we are in desperate need of your help."

The dog gave both Knuckles and Sparx dirty looks. "I wouldn't let Jamie into my home if you paid me!" he proclaimed.

_Interesting,_ Knuckles thought_, I wouldn't go into you home if you paid me._

"For the last time," Sparx said, "he's not Jamie! Look at his eyes!"

_Why didn't we think of that sooner? _

The dog looked carefully at Knuckles eyes and sighed. "Whatever..." he mumbled as he opened the door, letting them inside.

The inside of the house was no more appealing than the outside. There was an old armchair that looked like the dog had chewed it, a ratty old table, and a stone by the table, which Knuckles took to be a seat.

The dog effortlessly pulled the armchair over to the table a sat down. "You can sit there," he muttered to Knuckles, pointing at the stone.

"Thanks," Knuckles replied without meaning it.

"Well," Sparx started, breaking the silence, "Knuckles, this is LeLax, he's an old friend of mine."

Knuckles looked at the dog that Sparx had identified as LeLax in disgust. _What kind of name is LeLax anyway? _

Sparx then turned to LeLax and said, "LeLax, this is Knuckles." The dog grunted in response, not making eye contact with Knuckles.

"LeLax is kind of a... different name, isn't it?" Knuckles asked curiously.

"Oh, and like ya hear the name Knuckles every day?" LeLax shot back.

Sparx cut in before it got ugly, "LeLax isn't actually his real name, Knuckles."

"Sparx..." LeLax warned, obviously not wanting his real name revealed.

Knuckles grinned. _His name is probably something nerdy. _"Go ahead Sparx," Knuckles said, "what's LeLax's real name?"

Sparx ignored the dog's angry glares and continued talking. "Rover, actually. He was abandoned at an adoption center as a two-month-old, with nothing but a blanket that said 'Rover'. He adapted the name LeLax because as he grew older, everyone realized that he was **L**azy and he liked to r**ELAX**, earning him the nickname, LeLax."

LeLax glared at him, but Sparx ignored it.

"Ok," LeLax shot back, "what's the story behind Knuckles's name?"

Knuckles thought about that for a second. He didn't think there was a story behind his name. He was Knuckles, period.

"Well," Sparx started, "there isn't a story except for the fact that Jamie named him for the large knuckles on his fists."

LeLax nodded, looking half pleased with the answer. "So," he asked, "what brings you here?"

Knuckles stayed quiet as Sparx explained how they were after Jamie, and the medallion pieces. LeLax nodded, and grunted a few times to show he was listening.

"So," LeLax said when Sparx was finished, "I'm guessing you'll be wanting this." He pointed to the golden medallion around his neck, and Sparx nodded.

Sparx turned to Knuckles, knowing that he was wondering what the medallion around LeLax's neck had to with anything. "You see," Sparx said, pointing to the dog's neck, "this is the Hero's Medallion. It is exactly the same as the Demon's Medallion, except it supplies positive energy, instead of negative." Knuckles still didn't understand what that had to do with him, but Sparx wasn't finished. "More importantly," he continued, "wearing this medallion allows you to make contact with ghosts."

_So that's why he could shake Sparx's hand, _Knuckles thought.

"I haven't got a problem with giving it to you," LeLax told him, "as long as you're using it to fight Jamie." LeLax took of the medallion and handed it to Knuckles. "Jamie's the reason I lost my eye," he explained, pointing to the patch, "he couldn't kill me though, and I'm glad for that."

Knuckles nodded as he put the medallion around his neck, and he felt a certain power go through him.

"Thank you," he replied, meaning it.

LeLax nodded, and wished the two good luck as they continued on their journey.


	7. The First Piece

Chapter 7: The First Piece

Author's Note: Wow, that was a pretty quick update. Ok, on with the chapter.

Disclaimer: You should know by now.

Knuckles and Sparx walked back down the dark road while talking about what they were to do next with their journey.

"Where are we supposed to look for medallion pieces?" Knuckles asked, "They can be anywhere!"

"Actually," Sparx responded, "No they can't. The only place they will be able to be found is near one of your father's victims. But then again, that doesn't narrow it down much."

Knuckles looked at Sparx quizzically, "Why didn't you tell me this earlier?"

Sparx shrugged, "I didn't want to load you with information. There should be one around here somewhere, considering LeLax is one of you father's victims."

Knuckles remembered LeLax saying how his father was the reason for his lost eye, and wondered what had happened. "What exactly did my father do to LeLax that made him lose his eye?" he asked, figuring that Sparx knew the answer.

"I honestly don't know," Sparx replied, shocking Knuckles, "I know they both got beat up pretty bad. LeLax really chewed up Jamie, he almost lost a few dreadlocks."

Knuckles recalled one time when he was younger, and he had been guarding the Master Emerald. His father had gone to get some food for that night, and he said he'd be back in about two hours. He hadn't come back that night, or the next. When he finally did return, he looked like he'd gone through a paper shredder. His arm was gashed, and his dreads were torn. There was blood all around his mouth, and it looked like he'd lost a few teeth. He'd told Knuckles that he'd fallen out of a large tree, into some rocks, and gotten knocked out. Knuckles had accepted the answer, but now he knew what really had happened.

"Why did my dad mess with LeLax anyway?"

"Same reason he messed with me," Sparx explained, "They were friends, LeLax didn't support his mission, so he tried to kill him.

"LeLax didn't look to good after the fight either." he continued, "I mean, of course there was the fact that there was a big gaping hole where his eye used to be, but his fur was all matted and caked with blood. It had to have been pretty awful, because LeLax didn't want to tell me anything about it. he's usually the kind to graphically describe his battles."

Knuckles looked down at the ground as he walked. He couldn't believe that his own father had caused so many people misery. How many people did Sparx say he had killed? He didn't even want to know.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you," Sparx said suddenly, "that medallion will not only let you come in contact with ghosts, it will let you be able to touch Chaos, despite his body temperature."

"Can you try not to tell me these things bit by bit?" Knuckles asked, "I like to know everything at once."

Sparx completely ignored Knuckles as they kept walking, and he sighed. So many things had changed in these past days....

It soon became difficult for Knuckles to move, and his eyelids got heavy. he stomach rumbled, and his legs felt liked jell-o. He realized that he couldn't remember the last time he'd slept or eaten, and this only made him feel worse.

"Sparx?" he asked, trying not to show his weakness, "Do you think we could stop and get something to eat? Maybe rest for the night?"

Sparx shook his head, "Not until we find that medallion piece."

Knuckles felt like smacking Sparx, but that would just be a waste of energy. "Come on Sparx, just for an hour or two?"

Sparx shook his head again, watching the ground. "If we don't find it, he will." Knuckles didn't even need to ask who 'he' was, he already knew.

"Looking for this?" they heard a sickening voice ask. the wind began to rush, and Jamie materialized about ten yards in front of them, and smirked as he walked towards them. there was something golden shining in his hand, and by the exasperated look on Sparx's face, Knuckles knew it was part of the medallion.

"It looks like I beat you to the first piece, doesn't it?" Knuckles's father declared, waving the medallion in his face, "What a pity."

Fury built up inside Knuckles, and he struck his father across the face, pleased to see that the medallion worked.

Jamie staggered backwards, caught off-guard by the blow to the face. He manage a smile, despite the pain, and looked at his son, who was advancing on him. "I see you've met my friend," he stated flatly, backing up.

Knuckles remained silent as he walked toward his father. "Give me the medallion." he demanded.

Jamie shook his head, "I don't think so," he said. He looked toward the sky and shouted, '

"Chaos!"

Thunder boomed, as the water beast formed in from of them. Chaos 3. How they had found three emeralds, Knuckles didn't even want to know.

Jamie smiled as his son. "You can either leave right now, or suffer Chaos's wrath," he informed him.

Knuckles stole a glance at Sparx, who gave him a look that said, "Don't back down."

"You don't scare me!" Knuckles shouted, trying to convince himself as well as his father.

"We'll see about that," his father said. "Chaos, charge!"

The water beast charged at Knuckles, and before he had time to react, he was knocked to the ground. Knuckles was at a major disadvantage, being as tied and hungry as he was. He could barely concentrate, much less attack.

Knuckles stood up, only to be knocked down by the beast again. He heard his father cackle. "Give it up fool!" he shouted, "You'll never defeat Chaos!"

Knuckles shook his head as he stood up and lunged at the 'God of Destruction' as Eggman had called him, hitting him in the head.. The beast staggered backwards into his father, knocking him down. Apparently, he could make contact with ghosts. Slowly, Chaos 3 dematerialized until he was nothing but a puddle on the ground.

Knuckles seized the moment and ran towards his fallen father, stepping on his chest. "I'll take this," he said, reaching for the medallion piece. Jamie tried to fight back, but it wasn't worth it. Within one minute knuckles had the medallion piece and was walking away.

"This is only the beginning," his father muttered as he dematerialized.

"Thanks for helping out back there," Knuckles said sarcastically to Sparx, who rolled his eyes.

"You have to fight your father yourself, I can only help from the sidelines, and i had already used too much energy making the ball of light to do that."

"Whatever," Knuckles replied, "Can we rest now?"

Sparx smiled and nodded. "There's a place right over here," he said.


End file.
